344. James Nicholson , was indicted, for that he on the king's highway upon Elizabeth Brady , spinster , did make a felonious assault, one velvet cloak, val. 10 s. from her person did steal, take, and carry away , March 28 .

Eliz Brady As I was coming under the Duke of Bolton's arch , March 28, at about a quarter after eight o'clock a night, a man met me with a handful of mud in his hand; he flung the mud in my face, which knock'd me down, and then he tore the cloak from off me: He was soon taken, and when we got him into a house, he was asked to shew his Hand, and it was very muddy.

James Moson . I was at the corner of Brook-street, when I heard the cry of Thieves, I saw some chair-men run, so I run. As I was going by the prisoner he asked me what was the matter, saying, had any body lost any thing; said I, a gentlewoman has lost a cloak: He said there were two men gone up Bond-street, adding, they ought to be hanged that did it. I saw something under his coat like a cloak, being about two yards from him. When the chair-men came back, I said, I had a strong suspicion of this Man; by this time he had dropped the cloak, and it was taken up at his foot. The gentlewoman described it. We desired he'd let us see his hand, which was very dirty between the fingers with soft mud.

John Draper , Robert, Crutchley, and James Lee, deposed to the Confirmation of Mason's account.